A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Meanwhile, Malik decides that his best chance to get close to the princess is as one of the champions. We are immediately immersed into Ziran, when Malik and his sisters arrive at the city as refugees, hopeful for a better life. In order to get the heart of a king, Karina decides that the winner of the championship will be offered her hand in marriage. Seven champions for the seven alignments compete to see which of their patron deities will rule over the next era. Every 50 years, the kingdom hosts the Solstasia festival.

Karina’s mother has been assassinated, and to resurrect her, she requires the beating heart of a king. Malik’s sister has been kidnapped by a vengeful spirit who will only return her if Malik kills the princess. Princess Karina and the refugee Malik find themselves on a path where they each need to kill someone, in order to save someone they love. This event also set the stage to reveal the long-simmering cauldron of disparities in the publishing industry, through the #PublishingPaidMe movement.īrown's is a story with a seemingly simple plot, but the trajectory it takes is anything but simple or straightforward. The book's release came shortly after the shocking death of George Floyd that sparked worldwide protests against police brutality and racism, and added new vigour to the Black Lives Matter movement. 'The House of Wives' Review: Troubled love, and the lives it breaks Filthy Animals: Brandon Taylor chronicles identity, desperation for human connection with a gentle style Released in June, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown is the first work of mythological fiction in an enthralling duology that speaks of courage, acceptance and dealing with irrevocable loss. Just as Malik is hypnotised by the griot, so too are readers when they pick up A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, a compelling tale that embellishes the traditional Young Adult Fantasy novel with the rich culture of West Africa. The ancient oral traditions of Africa go far beyond keeping historical records of past events - they provide opportunities to understand much deeper matters, such as the relationship between the creator and the creation, the relationship of humans to the environment and the universe, matters of life and death, spirits and beyond. Malik’s body seemed to move forward of its own accord, caught on the hypnotic lure of the woman’s voice.” “To listen to a griot was to enter a new world, one where heroes danced across the heavens with spirits in their wake and gods churned mountains into being with a flick of their wrists.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown